Process of forming a lacquered can end with attached opening key for containers



P" 7, 1931- .1. H. O'NEIL PROCESS OF FORMING A LACQUERED CAN END WITH ATTACHED OPENING KEY FOR CONTAINERS Filed D80- 7, 1929 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES H. O'NEIL, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL CAN COM- PANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N, Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PROCESS OF FORMING A LACQUERIED CAN END WITH ATTACHED OPENING KEY FOR CONTAINERS Application filed December 7, 1929. Serial No. 412,453.

The invention is directed to a new and useful process of forming lacquered can ends having attached opening keys, which ends are adapted to be applied to a container body for 5 forming one of the closing ends.

' An object of the invention is to provide a process wherein a portion of the metal forming the container end is left free and exposed to permit a key to be soldered thereto, while the remaining portion of the end is coated with a lacquer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process whereby the sheet from which the ends are to be cut and formed may be lacquered and a small portion of the metal surface to which the key can be soldered left free from lacquer.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a sheet of metal from which the ends are cut and formed, showing the arrangement of the ends and showing the lacquered and unlacquered portions.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view showing an end attached to a container with the key soldered thereto.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a portion of the upper end of the container.

The invention is directed broadly to a process of forming a lacquered can end with an attached opening key. It is sometimes desirable to lacquer the outer face of the container end for decorating or for preventing any possible corrosion of the metal surface. It is also desirable to attach an opening key to the end by a breakable solder. In order to solder the key to the end the metal must be free from lacquer at the region where the key is to be attached by the solder. It is difficult to remove the lacquer after it has once been applied to the end and the invention has to do particularly with the forming of a sheet so that the surface may be coated with lacquer except for spots within the limits of the ends to be cut from the sheets so as to leave in each end the metal exposed for the application of the solder for attaching the key.

The invention will be best understood by a detailed reference to one way of carrying out the process. In Fig. 1 of the drawings a sheet of metal from which the container ends are to be cut is indicated at 1. This sheet of metal before it is coated with lacquer is provided with a series of depressions 2, 2. The metal is out along the broken lines 3 to form an end and the depression 2 is disposed centrally of the metal cut to form the end. After the sheet has been thus prepared it is passed between lacquer applying rollers and the surface of the metal coated with lacquer as indicated at l in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the sheet is coated with lacquer throughout the entire extent thereof except for the small depressions 2, 2. In these depressions the roller does not make contact with the' surface of the metal, and therefore, the surface of the metal'is left exposed. After the sheet has been thus formed and coated with lacquer it is then cut to form the ends.

One of these ends is indicated at 5 in the drawings. During the forming of the end with the usual type of channel for coating and whereby the end may be double seamed" to the body, a depression 6 is provided con forming to the general shaping of the key which is indicated at 7. The key 7 is located in this depression and solder 8 is used for at taching the end of the key to the exposed metal surface produced by the depression 2. The solder may be attached to the key, the key placed on'the end and heat applied for the soldering of the key'to the end.

Other means may be used for attaching the key to the end, the essential feature residing in the bare or exposed metal portion at the end of the key to which solder is applied for attaching the key to the end. Except for the smallportion where the solder is applied, the entire outer face of the end is lacquered. The under face of the sheet can be lacquered, if desired, in which case it should be lacquered before the depressions are formed.

.From the above it will be apparent that all the ends which are to be formed from a sheet of metal are provided with their bare spots and lacquered faces before the ends are out from the sheet. This greatly expedites the; formation of the ends. After the end is formed with its lacquered face containing the bare spot, the key may be readil attached thereto by a suitable machine. y the improved process ends with their outer faces lacquered and keys soldered thereto may be produced at a relatively small additional cost. It is obvious that the key may be otherwise placed on the end and that the process is useful for other purposes. The essential step consists in the deflecting or bending of the metal in the sheet so as to provide bare spots when the lacquer is applied to the face of the sheet, which bare spots can be properly disposed in the sheet to aid in the soldering of an article thereto at a later stage in the formation of articles from the sheet.

lVhile the sheet has been described as having depressions which form the exposed metal spots when the sheet is lacquered, it will be understood that other ways may be provided for producing the unlacquered spots Within the limits of the ends to be formed from the sheet without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of forming a lacquered can end with an attached opening key for containers, consisting in applying a coating of lacquer to the surface of the sheet, except for a small region within the limits of each end to be cut therefrom, cutting the end from the sheet and forming the same, placing a key on the face of the end with the key overlying the exposed metal portion, and attaching said key by solderin to said exposed metal.

2. The process of forming 'a lacquered can end with an attached opening key for containers, consisting in forming a depression in the sheet within the limits of each end to be cut therefrom, applying a coating of lacquer to the surface of the sheet leaving the metal in the depressed portions exposed,

' cutting the end from the sheet and forming the same, placing a key on the face of the end with the key overlying the exposed metal portion, and attaching said key by soldering to the exposed metal.

8. The process of forming a lacquered can end with an attached opening key for containers, consisting in forming a depression in the sheet within the limits of each end substantially centrally of the end that is to be cut therefrom, applying a coating of lacquer to the surface of the sheet leaving the metal in the depressed portions exposed, cutting the end from the sheet, forming the end and forming a depression in the lacquered face of the end which includes the exposed metal portion, placing a key in the depression and attaching said key by soldering to the exposed metal.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JAMES H. ONEIL. 

